Historical research on the Olympic Movement is highly valuable as it displays processes of continuity and transformation by which knowledge building processes on the Olympic Movement, its structure and on Olympic sport can be expanded. This comprehensive collection examines the multifaceted profile of the Olympic and Paralympic Movement and presents new insights drawn from a variety of research projects. Historical and political dimensions of the Olympic and Paralympic Movement are addressed, along with educational, ethical, commercial and sociological perspectives. It was originally published as a special issue of The International Journal of the History of Sport.

1. Introduction: Olympic Perspectives Stephan Wassong, Richard Baka and Janice Forsyth 2. Marketing Avery Brundage's Apoplexy: The 1976 Montreal Olympics Self-Financing Model Estee Fresco 3. In Pursuit of a National Olympic Team: James G. Merrick and the 1920 Canadian Olympic Track and Field Trials MacIntosh Ross 4. Representing Paralympians: The 'Other' Athletes in Canadian Print Media Coverage of London 2012 Melinda Maika and Karen Danylchuk 5. 'Born on the Wings of Commerce': The World Championships of the International Association of Athletics Federations Jörg Krieger 6. Striving for Athletic Excellence: A Core Value and Challenge for the Profile of the Ancient and Modern Olympic Games Christoph Bertling and Stephan Wassong 7. Terrorism and Security at the Olympics: Empirical Trends and Evolving Research Agendas Ramón Spaaij 8. Gender Politics, the Olympic Games, and Road Cycling: A Case for Critical History Fiona McLachlan